IN SURPRISING MOVE, BOTH OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHONS GO TO HOUSTON
By David Monti
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
Yesterday's announcement by USA Track & Field that both the men's
and women's 2012 Olympic Trials marathons would be held in Houston came
as a surprise to many. Since the women's marathon was introduced to
the Olympic Games in 1984, American women have had their own Trials
race; the first was held in Olympia, Wash., and won by Joan Benoit just
17 days after a knee surgery.
With three bids from the Boston Athletic Association, Chevron Houston
Marathon, and New York Road Runners, it seemed likely that the
two-location model would be maintained for 2012. The general consensus
coming out of the USATF convention last December was that one of the
Trials would be held in New York in November, 2011, with the second in
Houston in January, 2012.
But while in Albuquerque for the USA Indoor Championships last weekend,
USATF CEO Doug Logan recommended to his board that a unified Trials
venue was the best course of action for American marathoning. His
board accepted his recommendation which was backed by the U.S. Olympic
Committee, and Logan flew to Houston for a press conference yesterday,
where he called Houston's $1.7 million bid "very aggressive."
"As a consequence of us putting the city under significant amount of
scrutiny with regard to can this be a good place to hold one or more of
our Trials, in 2012 we're not only bringing one but both of our Trials
to this city," Logan told the local media, receiving a rousing and
sustained applause.
Officials at the New York Road Runners were surprised by the decision,
and did not learn about it until about an hour before the announcement
in Houston. The NYRR had hosted the men's Trials in November, 2007,
and had hoped to land one of the Trials for 2012.
"As an organization fiercely committed to our sport and our athletes, I
have to be honest and say that we are disappointed by today's
announcement that both Trials races will be in Houston," said NYRR
president and CEO Mary Wittenberg in a prepared statement. "It seemed
such a win-win to split the genders and to give the fans of two markets
the chance to experience the Trials in an up close and personal way.
The New York and Boston Trials were unqualified successes. It would
have been nice for at least one of us to have had the chance to build
on that success and to capitalize on the momentum of the last Trials."
Wittenberg sent congratulations to Houston race director, Brant Kotch,
and the event's managing director, Steve Karpas, who had spearheaded
the Houston bid. Kotch and Karpas plan to hold the 2012 Trials on
Saturday, January 14, one day in advance of the 40th Chevron Houston
Marathon, using a criterium course. USATF said in a statement
yesterday that the final format of the race, and other logistics, had
not yet been determined.
Boston officials were also disappointed. Speaking to RunnersWorld.com,
Boston Athletic Association executive director Guy Morse said he was
"disappointed, primarily," when he heard the news. "We thought our bid
was still a very realistic one when you consider all the additional
intrinsic values of holding a Trials in Boston. Or in New York. We
felt we exceeded all expectations in 2008. The results of our effort
speak for themselves. "
Houston has hosted the national half-marathon championships for men
since 2005, and the women's since 2007. The city also hosted the 1992
women's Olympic Trials marathon with 89 starters and 65 finishers.
Janis Klecker got the victory, despite falling on wet pavement at the
16-mile water station. She was helped to her feet by Cathy O'Brien,
who turned around to assist her. Klecker passed O'Brien at the 26-mile
mark to get the win in 2:30:12, 14 seconds ahead of O'Brien.
In New York, Wittenberg said that her commitment to American athletes
was unshaken; the NYRR will be hosting the USA Women's Marathon
Championships in November in conjunction with the ING New York City
Marathon.
"For us at NYRR, our commitment to our athletes and our sport has
always gone way beyond any one day," Wittenberg said. She continued:
"We will look forward to continuing to host our American athletes often
throughout the year at NYRR events."
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